Panasonic LX100 vs Olympus E-P5

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 and the Olympus PEN E-P5 are two enthusiast cameras that were officially introduced, respectively,
in September 2014 and May 2013. The LX100 is a fixed lens compact, while the E-P5 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with a Four Thirds sensor. The Panasonic has a resolution of 12.7 megapixels, whereas the Olympus provides 15.9 MP. Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their sensors, their features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Panasonic LX100 vs Olympus E-P5

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Panasonic LX100 and the Olympus E-P5. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size,
the Olympus E-P5 is notably larger (11 percent) than the Panasonic LX100. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the LX100 nor the E-P5 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the LX100 has a lens built in,
whereas the E-P5 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the E-P5 and their specifications in the Micro Four Thirds Lens Catalog.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, just click on the right or left
arrow next to the camera that you would like to inspect. Alternatively, you can also use the CAM-parator to
select your camera combination among a larger number of options.

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The LX100 was launched at a lower price than the E-P5, despite having a lens built in. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison: Panasonic LX100 vs Olympus E-P5

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a Four Thirds sensor and have a format factor
(sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 2.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras
that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3. The LX100 has the particularity of featuring a switch that allows to toggle between multiple aspect ratios,
while maintaining the same field of view and full image resolution.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the E-P5 offers a higher
resolution of 15.9 megapixels, compared with 12.7 MP of the LX100.
This megapixels advantage translates into a 12 percent gain in linear resolution.
On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the E-P5 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel
(with a pixel pitch of 3.76μm versus 4.21μm for the LX100). Moreover, it should be noted, that the LX100 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 4 months) than the E-P5, and its sensor
might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of individual pixels.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600..
The Olympus PEN E-P5 offers exactly the same ISO settings.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). Of the two cameras under consideration, the E-P5 has a markedly higher DXO score than the LX100 (overall score 5 points higher), which will translate into better image quality. The advantage is based on 0.5 bits higher color depth, 0.1 EV of lower dynamic range, and 0.7 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

Camera Model

Sensor Class

Resolution (MP)

Horiz. Pixels

Vert. Pixels

Video Format

DXO Portrait

DXO Landscape

DXO Sports

DXO Overall

Camera Model

Panasonic LX100»

Four Thirds

12.7

4112

3088

4K/30p

22.3

12.5

553

67

Panasonic LX100

Olympus E-P5«

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/30p

22.8

12.4

895

72

Olympus E-P5

Canon G5 X«»

1-inch

20.0

5472

3648

1080/60p

-

-

-

-

Canon G5 X

Canon G1 X Mark II«»

1.5-inch

13.0

4160

3120

1080/30p

21.5

10.8

581

58

Canon G1 X Mark II

Fujifilm X30«»

2/3

12.0

4000

3000

1080/60p

-

-

-

-

Fujifilm X30

Leica D-LUX Typ 109«»

Four Thirds

12.7

4112

3088

4K/30p

-

-

-

-

Leica D-LUX Typ 109

Olympus E-M5 II«»

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/60p

23.0

12.5

842

73

Olympus E-M5 II

Olympus E-M10«»

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/30p

22.8

12.3

884

72

Olympus E-M10

Olympus E-PL7«»

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/30p

22.7

12.4

873

72

Olympus E-PL7

Olympus E-M1«»

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/30p

23.0

12.7

757

73

Olympus E-M1

Panasonic LX100 II«»

Four Thirds

16.8

4736

3552

4K/30p

-

-

-

-

Panasonic LX100 II

Panasonic FZ1000«»

1-inch

20.0

5472

3648

4K/30p

22.1

11.7

517

64

Panasonic FZ1000

Panasonic GM5«»

Four Thirds

15.8

4592

3448

1080/60p

22.1

11.7

721

66

Panasonic GM5

Panasonic G6«»

Four Thirds

15.9

4608

3456

1080/60p

21.3

11.5

639

61

Panasonic G6

Panasonic GX7«»

Four Thirds

15.8

4592

3448

1080/60p

22.6

12.2

718

70

Panasonic GX7

Sony RX100 IV«»

1-inch

20.0

5472

3648

4K/30p

22.8

12.6

591

70

Sony RX100 IV

Sony RX100 III«»

1-inch

20.0

5472

3648

1080/60p

22.4

12.3

495

67

Sony RX100 III

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the LX100 provides a higher video resolution than the E-P5. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Olympus is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison: Panasonic LX100 vs Olympus E-P5

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the LX100 has an electronic viewfinder (2764k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight.
In contrast, the E-P5 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the E-P5 can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the VF-4. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Panasonic LX100, the Olympus E-P5, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

Camera Model

Viewfinder (Type or '000 dots)

Control Panel (yes/no)

LCD Size (inch)

LCD Resolution ('000 dots)

LCD Attach- ment

Touch Screen (yes/no)

Shutter speed (1/sec)

Shutter flaps (1/sec)

Built-in Flash (yes/no)

Built-in Image Stab

Camera Model

Panasonic LX100»

2764

n

3.0

921

fixed

n

4000

11.0

n

Y

Panasonic LX100

Olympus E-P5«

-

n

3.0

1037

tilting

Y

8000

9.0

Y

Y

Olympus E-P5

Canon G5 X«»

2360

n

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

2000

5.9

Y

Y

Canon G5 X

Canon G1 X Mark II«»

-

n

3.0

1040

tilting

Y

4000

5.2

Y

Y

Canon G1 X Mark II

Fujifilm X30«»

2360

n

3.0

920

tilting

n

4000

12.0

Y

Y

Fujifilm X30

Leica D-LUX Typ 109«»

2764

n

3.0

921

fixed

n

4000

11.0

n

Y

Leica D-LUX Typ 109

Olympus E-M5 II«»

2360

n

3.0

1037

swivel

Y

8000

10.0

n

Y

Olympus E-M5 II

Olympus E-M10«»

1440

n

3.0

1037

tilting

Y

4000

8.0

Y

Y

Olympus E-M10

Olympus E-PL7«»

-

n

3.0

1037

tilting

Y

4000

8.0

n

Y

Olympus E-PL7

Olympus E-M1«»

2360

n

3.0

1037

tilting

Y

8000

10.0

n

Y

Olympus E-M1

Panasonic LX100 II«»

2764

n

3.0

1240

fixed

Y

4000

11.0

n

Y

Panasonic LX100 II

Panasonic FZ1000«»

2359

n

3.0

921

swivel

n

4000

12.0

Y

Y

Panasonic FZ1000

Panasonic GM5«»

1166

n

3.0

921

fixed

Y

500

5.8

n

n

Panasonic GM5

Panasonic G6«»

1440

n

3.0

1036

swivel

Y

4000

7.0

Y

n

Panasonic G6

Panasonic GX7«»

2760

n

3.0

1040

tilting

Y

8000

5.0

Y

Y

Panasonic GX7

Sony RX100 IV«»

2359

n

3.0

1228

tilting

n

2000

16.0

Y

Y

Sony RX100 IV

Sony RX100 III«»

1440

n

3.0

1229

tilting

n

2000

10.0

Y

Y

Sony RX100 III

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The E-P5
has a touchscreen, while the LX100 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example,
for setting the focus point.

The reported shutter speed and shutter burst refer to the use of the mechanical shutter. In addition, the LX100 features
an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or
shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the LX100 and the E-P5 write their files to SDXC cards.

Connectivity comparison: Panasonic LX100 vs Olympus E-P5

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 and Olympus PEN E-P5 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

Camera Model

Hotshoe Port

Internal Microphone

Internal Speaker

Microphone Port

Headphone Port

HDMI Port

USB Type

WiFi Support

NFC Support

Bluetooth Support

Camera Model

Panasonic LX100»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

Y

-

Panasonic LX100

Olympus E-P5«

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Olympus E-P5

Canon G5 X«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

mini

2.0

Y

Y

-

Canon G5 X

Canon G1 X Mark II«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

mini

2.0

Y

Y

-

Canon G1 X Mark II

Fujifilm X30«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Fujifilm X30

Leica D-LUX Typ 109«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

Y

-

Leica D-LUX Typ 109

Olympus E-M5 II«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Olympus E-M5 II

Olympus E-M10«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Olympus E-M10

Olympus E-PL7«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Olympus E-PL7

Olympus E-M1«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Olympus E-M1

Panasonic LX100 II«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

Y

Panasonic LX100 II

Panasonic FZ1000«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

micro

2.0

Y

Y

-

Panasonic FZ1000

Panasonic GM5«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Panasonic GM5

Panasonic G6«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

Y

Y

-

Panasonic G6

Panasonic GX7«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

mini

2.0

Y

Y

-

Panasonic GX7

Sony RX100 IV«»

-

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

Y

-

Sony RX100 IV

Sony RX100 III«»

-

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

Y

-

Sony RX100 III

The LX100 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Panasonic.
In contrast, the E-P5 has been discontinued (but it can be found pre-owned on eBay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the E-P5 from Olympus.

Review summary: Panasonic LX100 vs Olympus E-P5

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Panasonic LX100 or the Olympus E-P5 – has the upper hand? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100:

Flexible image proportions: Has a multi-aspect sensor that allows for alternative image shapes.

More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.

Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.

More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in May 2013).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the match-up finishes in a tie (10 points each). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera.

LX100 10:10 E-P5

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras is instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the handling experience and imaging performance when actually working with the LX100 or the E-P5. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews: Panasonic LX100 vs Olympus E-P5

This is why expert reviews are important. The table below summarizes the assessments of some of the best known camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, photographyblog). The full reviews are available by clicking on the site logo in the table header.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Other camera comparisons

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